Saturday, October 18, 2014

A historical place that had its
time of glory during the Pandya Period – Donation of Lands and Gifting of Oil
for Perpetual Lamp was a regular feature in the 12th and 13th Century AD

Special Status for Women at Pathamadai

Located
just under 20kms from Tirunelveli on the Cheran Maha Devi Highway is the Pandya Period
Kariya Manikkam Perumal Temple in Pathamadai, one that dates back a 1000 years. In several verses, Azhvaars have referred to Kariya Manikkam Perumal in their Nalayira Divya Prabhandham. One of the temples dedicated to Kariya Manikkam Perumal in this region is in the heart of Tirunelveli South of Nellaiappar Temple. (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2009/12/kariya-manikkam-perumal-tirunelveli.html)Cheran
Maha Devi Chaturvedi Mangalam (as it was referred to then) and its adjoining region
is home to several ancient perumal temples that were close to the hearts of the
Pandya and Chera rulers as can be seen from the contributions made.

Several
inscriptions inside the temple on the walls of the prakara indicate significant
contributions by the Pandya Kings. However, the white washing of the walls of
the strong granite structure, in recent times has contributed to destruction of
these centuries old inscriptions.

Tax
Free Offerings to this temple

In the late 12th
Century and early 13th Century AD, Sadaya Varma Kulasekara Pandyan
contributed in no small measure to the development of this temple. During that
period, this temple was referred to as Ayiara Thenma Vinnagara Azhvaar Temple
at the eastern hamlet of Cheran Maha Devi Chaturvedi Mangalam. Vikrama Pandya
too contributed to the improvements at this temple.

On the Eastern Wall
is an inscription dating to the rule of Kulasekara I that registers an assurance
that 6 Ma of land in Cheran Maha Devi Chaturvedi Mangalam might be made tax
free for daily offering of Ayiratenna Vinnagara Azhavaar temple.

In 1198AD, tax free
temple lands were donated to this temple by the Cheran Maha Devi Province.

Lighting
of lamps

During the rule of Pandya Kings including Kulasekara Pandya, oil was gifted for lighting a perpetual lamp at the Kariya Manikkam Perumal temple here at Pathamadai. This temple was specially protected by the army force of Pathamadai.

On the South Wall
of the central shrine, an inscription dating back to 1193AD to the rule of
Jatavarma Kulasekara Deva registers a gift of income from an oil mill for
burning perpetual lamp, by the king while he was seated in the throne called
Kalinga Rayan in his palace at Madurai.

On the Eastern Wall
of the mandapa in front of the central shrine is an inscription that registers
a gift of one achchu for a twilight lamp to the Lord by Sri Vallabha Sri
Vasudevan, one of the Arya Bhattars of the temple.

A brahmana lady
gifted one achchu for a twilight lamp as seen from another inscription on the
eastern wall.

A
Unique Transaction!!!

A 1296 AD
inscription on the North Wall relates to the rule of Mayavarma Vikrama Pandya
III. This inscription states that the
assembly of Cheran Maha Devi Chaturvedi Mangalam assigned a portion of a land
already in the enjoyment of the temple in lieu of another which they had
granted to the temple on the occasion of its foundation, the latter being
disputed to have been the gift of another Vishnu temple in the same village
called Sri Vallabha Vinnagaram.

In consideration of
this new transaction and exchange, the assembly gave some money to the temple
and declared that the land now given was to be a devadhaana of the temple.

On a slap in front of
the temple is an inscription that refers to a gift that the temple is placed
under the protection of Munrukaiyar. Below this inscription are sculptures of
two lamp stands.

Status
of the Bhattars in the 20th Century

A temple that had
such rich contribution 8-9centuries ago was in a dilapidated state in the middle
of last century so much so that the bhattar clan who were taking care of this temple
literally had to beg the residents for the daily food for the lord as well as
the conduct of the centuries old Utsavams.

A
Saivite temple north of the Kariya Manikkam Perumal temple dedicated to Bilva
Vanaatha Swamy was also the recipient of huge grants by the Pandya Kings including
Sadaya Varma Kulasekaran, Maravarma Sundara Pandyan and Maravarma Kulasekara
Pandyan in the 12th-14th Century period. There was also a
big renovation of this temple in 1203AD according to an inscription at the Bilva
Vanaatha Swamy temple with special festive poojas performed on a grand scale on
Panguni Uthiram.

Women
had a special status here at Pathamadai during the rule of the Pandyas. During
the rule of Veera Pandyan, women used to anchor and present mythological dramas
inside the temple that were witnessed by a huge crowd.

Inscriptions
also indicate that this was a place that had a huge growth of sacred flowers
and that special ‘palagais’ were erected inside the temple to collect and place
the flowers that was then presented to the Lord during pooja time.

Ancient IdolsCenturies old idols of Perumal, Thaayar and Hayagriva belonging to the Perumal Temple are lying in a dilapidated condition in the North Eastern corner of the temple with a head chopped off from one of the idols.

Pandya
Kings including Jatavarma Pandya and Kulasekaran had also contributed significantly
to the Ramaswamy and Appan Venkatachalapathy temples in Cheran Maha Devi, one kilometre
west of this temple

Pathamadai
is 1km east of Cheran Maha Devi on the Tirunelveli – Ambai/Papanasam Highway.
From Pathamadai bus stand, the temple is walking distance at just under ½ km north.
Buses ply every 15 minutes between Tirunelveli and Cheran Maha Devi.